Uncharted
by JaeciBae
Summary: Lily's troublesome life changed when she meets Nathan Drake and Victor Sullivan, an odd pair who specialize in collecting antiques. After sharing an exciting adventure, they welcome her to a magical world of treasure hunting. (1 of 4 in the Uncharted saga)
1. Nathan Drake

"It's hard to believe in coincidence, but it's even harder to believe in anything else." ― John Green

Chapter 1: Nathan Drake

Today's a muggy day in the little mexican town of Copainalá, which I've decided to call home for the next few weeks. The tan cobblestone streets were lined with shabby yet colorful buildings. I perched myself upon a small pile of crates, playing with the sapphire necklace I'd had my entire life, observing the crowded local marketplace, looking for who I could pickpocket next. My main targets are usually tourists, distracted by the beautiful locale and loud vendors. This has been my life ever since I ran away from the orphanage three years ago.

Suddenly, my attention was grabbed by two men who looked quite out of place. The younger man looked to be in his early 30's. His face is tall with a sharp jawline, his dark brown hair spiked to a messy point. He was wearing well-worn jeans and a tight gray shirt with the sleeves rolled up. There was also an unusual-looking silver ring hanging from his necklace. The older man, who seemed to be his grandpa in his late 50's, was chubby with a thick, bushy mustache and short, gray hair. He too was wearing jeans, and was sporting a corny yellow Hawaiian shirt. Being lost in conversation while walking down the street, they're perfect targets.

Stealthily hopping from my perch, I snuck behind my victims. I've never been noticed while doing lifts, which has kept me from having to deal with prison.

I watched the two take their seats at a small food stand with a few tables surrounding it. I waited for a few moments then stalked towards them. I spotted the young man's leather wallet sticking out of his back pocket. When the old man was looking away I casually walked by their table, grabbing the wallet as I passed. At first, I thought I succeeded, but my heart dropped when I suddenly heard the old man's gravelly voice.

"That was a pretty sloppy lift, kid!" he scolded. For a moment I had stopped dead, as this was the first time I had ever been caught. I quickly scanned the marketplace for an escape, sprinting for the nearest alleyway.

As the young man pursued me, I tried to lose him down the town's twisted alleyways. Getting desperate, I cut down an unfamiliar corridor. To my dismay, it led to a dead end.

"'Bout time I caught ya!" the young man huffed. I tried looking for another way to run, but there was nowhere I could go.

"I'm not going to hurt you, I just want to talk," he said, gently reaching out his arm. I didn't let my guard down, but I was willing to listen.

"You're pretty fast for your age. Reminds me of myself when I was younger. I didn't even notice your lift!"

I was shocked at how nice he was being, especially since I just stole his wallet.

"You're not… mad?" I asked.

Before he could answer, the older man came shambling around the corner. "Nate, ya could've slowed down just a little! I'm not as young as I used to be, ya know. I see you've at least caught up to your new friend here. Come on, grab your wallet, we've got work to do."

The younger man, evidently named Nate, paused for a moment.

"Just hold on a minute, Sully. I think she could be useful. She's pretty small but obviously has some skills. If we could help her hone those, I think she would be a big help with the job."

I raised an eyebrow, curious at this exchange.

The old man, who I now know is named Sully, began reprimanding Nate like a parent would with a child.

"Nate, I don't think it's such a good idea. I mean, look at her: she's just a common thief who happens to be slightly above-average at lifts, which, by the way, I'm pretty disappointed you hadn't noticed when she used you for target practice. If I hadn't said anything you probably never would've went after her!"

This guy clearly has a very low opinion of me already.

Nate faced back to me, still trapped in the corner.

"Look, I'm not going to report you, but on one condition: you have to help us with a job we were assigned. We need someone of your size and skill set, and we can help you become a pro like us."

I stood there still catching my breath from the chase, staring up at the man who just said he needed me for something.

No one's ever needed me for anything before.

It's not like I haven't done work like this already, plus it'll help me improve my already-great skills. It's not like I have much of a choice right now, anyway. Nate continued to stare at me, patiently awaiting my answer.

"You promise you won't call the cops on me?" I asked.

"I promise," Nate avowed. As I heard those words, I somehow felt a small connection to him, like I almost knew he's telling the truth.

I reluctantly nodded, still not completely sure I could trust him.

"Okay, I'll go with you."

"Great! By the way, what's your name?" Nate asked, reaching out his hand for me to shake.

"The name's Lillian," I mumbled. I lightly shook his worn hand and returned the wallet to its proper owner.

"Nice to meet ya, Lillian! Nathan Drake, but you can call me Nate, as I'm sure you heard this grump call me," Nate joked as he gestured to himself.

He turned back to Sully, who was standing there with his arms crossed and a scowl covering his face.

"So I guess this makes you like the grandpa of the group, huh Sully?" Nate joked

"I'm not that old, Nate. We're not playing The Three Bears, here." Sully grumbled.

"Sure we're not, Sully. Come on, let's go back to the table, I'm starving!"


	2. Sully

We returned to the table Nate and Sully had been sitting at. As I sat down across from them, I still felt nervous, and Sully staring daggers at me didn't help.

"Ya know, Nate, I sure hope you're right about this kid. She could turn out to be nothing more than a street rat."

"C'mon Sully, I was the same age when we met. Heck, I even did the same lift as her. I sure hope you didn't see me as a street rat," Nate scoffed.

Was he really that similar to me when he was younger? I pondered.

"'Course not, but this girl ran herself straight into a corner. You, on the other hand, had a gun pointed at the only guy who could keep up with ya. There's a huge difference here, Nate, and I just don't think you're seeing it!"

"Listen, Sully, I've got a good feeling about this. I feel like I can trust her, and I'm going to be training her with or without you."

I'm glad Nate's on my side on this. Sully clearly didn't want me here.

"Look, I'm not sayin' you can't do this, I just don't think it's a very good idea. What if she does turn out to be a rat, then what?"

"I'm not a rat," I blurted out.

"Excuse me?" Sully said, blindsided by my words.

"I said, I'm not a rat. I'm a hard worker, and I'm clearly outclassed here. I want to get better at this, and being with you is the best way to do that. Besides, what do I have to lose?"

"Well, kid, I'm glad you've finally spoken up. Let's see you prove yourself. At least ya got yourself some spunk!"

"See, Sully? Nothing to worry about. She's gonna be great, you'll see."

As night neared, the three of us roamed back to the boys' hotel, with Sully glancing over his shoulder at me every few minutes. While we walked, Nate asked everything he could think of about me. I told him all that had happened up until now, from escaping the orphanage, to how I got here after two years of traveling on foot. I never met my parents, and I have no way of trying to find them. Nate mentioned he lost his parents around my age too, and that he'd like to help me find mine once this job was done. He keeps surprising me with his kindness. He's done so much for me already, and we only just met. I don't understand how he could be so compassionate toward an orphan who stole his wallet just a few hours ago.

Arriving at the hotel, I offered to find my own place, but Nate insisted I room with them.

"Why are you being so nice to me? I've done nothing for you, but you're treating me like we've known each other for years," I asked.

"Yeah, I'd like to know that myself," Sully agreed. Nate was caught off guard by the sudden interrogation.

"I know what it was like growing up on the streets. When I stole, I was never given the opportunity to redeem myself. I just… wanted to treat you the way I would've wanted back then," Nate shrugged.

The hotel was a shabby building with colors that matched the rest of the city. Broken shutters covered the darkened windows and chipped paint peeled from the walls. It wasn't very inviting, but it was the first time in ages I'd had a proper roof over my head. The boys lead me from the front lobby down dimly lit hallways. Why was I so trusting towards these strangers when I knew nothing about them? This is the kinda place kids my age disappear from, so I was nervous. Arriving at the room, I was welcomed by a warm, cozy area with two beds and a small TV, a stark contrast from the rest of the hotel. Tucked in the corner was a clean, tiny bathroom.

"Help yourself to whatever you'd like," Nate said as he plopped on the couch.

"May I use your shower?" I asked, excited to use the one I had spotted shortly after entering.

Nate gestured towards the back and I dashed for the bathroom. I haven't been in a nice one like this since living in the orphanage. The room was quite claustrophobic, with only a bit of elbow space between the sink and shower, with the toilet directly in front of the sink. I looked at myself in the mirror. I hadn't had a clean inspection in years. My face was filthy, covered in scars and acne. My dark hair was a matted mess, and I looked miserable. I hated the reflection staring back at me.

I closed the door and turned the shower knob, causing refreshing water to start raining down. The moment the water began to run, I could hear mumbling behind the door that sounded like Nate and Sully arguing. I peeked out the door to get a better look.

"I still don't feel comfortable having her around, Nate. We don't even know her full name, where she's from, or anything!" Sully spouted.

"I've already told you, I'm trying to do the same for her that you did for me, and the only reason guns were involved was because of Marlowe. I'm sure she would've done the same thing if she were in my position back then."

"Okay, fine, just do whatever ya want, but when it blows up in your face, don't come cryin' to me," grunted Sully, lighting a cigar and leaned back in his chair.

I gently closed the door and got in the shower, hoping the warm water could help me clear my thoughts. No stranger has ever felt this way about me. Usually I get one pitiful look and they continue on their merry way, but this random guy wants to help me, all because he was similar to me at this age. This thought floated around in my head until I fell asleep.


	3. The Adventure Begins

I awoke to Nate gently patting my shoulder, hearing him say it's time to eat. I sat up, dazed, trying to reorient myself to my surroundings, as I was used to sleeping on boxes in an alleyway. I hadn't felt this good in a long time. Nate tossed a basket of bagels on my lap.

"You're going to need fuel for today," he announced. Once we got ready, the three of us drove out of the city in a cheap rental pickup truck. I sat in the cramped back seat while the two bickered over nothing of any particular importance. I could see trees lining the horizon. I knew of this jungle, but I never had a reason to go here. As tree roots started to make the dirt road more bumpy, I couldn't help but wonder what I've gotten myself into.

What do these two do for a living that has them travelling to places like this? I pondered.

Despite not knowing why we're going to the jungle, I was excited. The truck came to a stop after

going down a long tunnel of trees. Towers of leaves were now blocking the sun, causing it to feel damp and cold. As I opened the door to get out, Nate stopped me, indicating he had gotten me some boots early this morning, which are in the box on the other seat. On top of the box was a backpack containing various survival supplies, including a flashlight that recharges when you shake it, some flares, and a small knife. After tightly lacing my new boots, I stepped out of the truck. When my feet touched the ground, I started to experience a rush of adrenaline the likes of which I've never encountered before.

The boys went to the back of the truck, which contained a tarp covering what sounded like several small bits of metal, although I wasn't exactly sure what this large brown lump contained, as I hadn't seen them load it. Nate tore off the tarp, revealing several pistols, rifles, and grenades.

"Whoa, what will we be needing these for?!" I nearly shrieked.

"Ya know, just in case we get in trouble," Sully informed.

"Exactly what kind of trouble are we talking about? It's not like we need all this to defend ourselves from tigers," I teased.

As Nate slung a rifle around his shoulder, he turned to me with a smirk.

"In this business, you make plenty of enemies. Our client just happens to have quite a few."

"Can I meet this client after we're done?" I questioned.

"Maybe, if you follow through with the job," Sully promised.

"So… where's mine?" I asked, gesturing to Nate's pistol mounted in its holster.

"Not here," Nate snapped. "I doubt you've had any experience with these, and this isn't exactly the best place to teach you. If we get into a fight, just hide somewhere until it's done. I'll teach you some other time."

"... fine," I pouted. I was hoping to get my own gun, but I could understand Nate's reasoning. They're pretty dangerous, and I'd be devastated if either of them got hurt because of me.

We made our way down the bumpy path, with Nate and Sully cutting away branches and vines with their machetes which had been stored under the guns. Nate and I chatted while hiking. We found we had a lot of common interests, like foreign cultures and pirate lore. He and I went on for what seemed like hours, with Sully commenting every now and then.

We came upon an opening containing a small outpost, peppered with several small shacks, each with an armed guard standing by the doorway. There was a small stream in front of the cave, which had a small dock built outside of it. Attached to the platform was a pole to which a small canoe was anchored. The stream forked at the left side of the landing. The right side of it journeyed deeper into the forest, while the other side went toward a nearby waterfall. Each landing had a high, arched bridge going over the stream, connecting the camp together. Directly across from our path was a large rock wall with a wide cave entrance, lined with ornate carvings from an ancient civilization; Olmec, perhaps?

What are we doing here? I contemplated.

"See? Trouble," whispered Sully.

"Okay, Sully, you go behind the buildings on the left, and I'll take the ones on the right. We need to take these guys out as quickly and quietly as possible. Lillian… you hide behind the bushes over there," Nate instructed, pointing to a shrub in front of a tree.

I reluctantly crept behind the bush Nate pointed to and watched them work. Sully snuck up behind the guard who was posted at that shack. He wrapped his arms around the guard's neck and squeezed until the man stopped moving. He started rummaging through papers and maps, looking for anything useful.

While Sully searched his assigned shack, Nate snuck through a window of the other shack and slunk up behind the other guard, who was standing in front of the outer wall. Nate grabbed the guard's arm and swung him into the inside wall, knocking him out immediately. The slam garnered the attention of the guard patrolling outside the cave, who ran over to check on the commotion. Nate hid under a table to avoid getting caught, and Sully was still distracted by searching the other shack. I knew I had to do something to protect Nate, so I grabbed a rock and sprinted for the shack where Nate was hiding. I ran up behind the guard and slammed the rock against the back of his head, knocking him to the floor, unconscious. Nate looked up at me from under the table, a look of pleasant surprise on his face.

"Hey, he was mine!" Nate complained

"Yeah, sure he was. Why were you hiding under the table, then?" I joked.  
"He looked pretty big, I wanted to be able to get the jump on him!"

"Sure, Nate. You wanna hold the rock to look big and strong for gramps over there?"

"Psssh," Nate scoffed, flipping his drooping hair out of his face. I was pretty sure his hair was enchanted, because it always seems to return to that styled spike.

The two of us walked over to the shack Sully was searching through.

"Well, this is definitely the place. There's pictures of the thing all over the place in here," stated Sully.

"What are we even looking for out here?" I questioned, swatting mosquitoes away from my face.

"The Head of Kutu. It's a small, golden head-shaped artifact; it's said it can bring the dead back to life. Our client wants us to find it so it doesn't fall into the hands of his enemies, who've been amassing forces against him for quite awhile," Nate replied.

"You don't think it actually works… do you?"

Sully interjected, "Kid, you wouldn't even begin to believe the things we've seen, so I'd say there's a pretty high chance this thing does what we've read."

It sounded pretty outlandish to me, but I decided to go along with it.

As we headed into the cave, which contained nothing but a dark void, Nate and Sully pulled out their flashlights. I took mine from my bag and gave it a little shake, causing the bulb to shine to life. I was surprised at how bright the thing was, despite it not having traditional batteries. As the lights shone down the cave, all I could see what a long, pitch black hallway.

After walking for what seemed like an eternity, we came upon a massive circular stone door containing the same carvings I saw outside. On each side of the door were small clay platforms, each featuring a little imprint in the shape of a foot.

Nate pulled out a beat up leather journal, which I could see was filled with detailed pencil sketches. He flipped through the book until he landed on a page with a picture similar to what lay before us.

"Hey Sully, go stand on that other platform. I'll get this one," instructed Nate as he ran to the block on the left.

The boys both hopped on the platforms, but nothing happened.

"Okay, now stand on one leg with your foot on top of the marking, like this," Nate said as he balanced on one foot. Sully did the same, although he didn't seem to have the same coordination as Nate, since he was wobbling quite a bit.

Suddenly, the platforms they were standing on started to sink into the floor. When they became parallel to the ground, the giant door started to roll away, pebbles and dust raining down as it did.

Nate pulled a tattered map from his bag and started to lead us forward. I peeked around his arm, glancing at the parchment covered in landmarks and scribbles.

"Do you know how to navigate?" Nate asked after he caught me staring.

"I can read stars, since I did most of my traveling at night." I admitted.

"Wow, didn't know a kid like you would be interested in that kind of thing," said Sully, slightly grinning.

"I love anything having to do with space, so I love the idea of using it to travel," I smiled.

"Sully can read celestial maps as well. Maybe you two can learn a few things from each other," Nate suggested with a chuckle.

I hope I can use this common interest to finally get Sully to open up, I thought.

I turned to him with a grin but he grunted in response. I turned my attention back to Nate's journal, wanting to look through his notes.

"Can I see that?" I asked pointing to the book, which Nate had stored in his satchel.

"Sure, if you don't mind looking at my scribbles," Nate said as he handed me the book.

When I opened the journal to the first page, I was greeted by a small photo of a young woman. She had dirty blonde hair that was pulled back into a ponytail and was donning a blue button down shirt. Her face had a certain charming glow that could make just about anyone smile.

"Who's this?" I asked Nate, smirking.

"That's a really good friend of mine. Her name's Elena. We met a few months back, although I unfortunately haven't seen her in a few weeks." As Nate explained this you could see his cheeks grow faintly red.

"She seems more than just a friend," I teased.

"Trust me, if you saw those two together, they're more than just friends," Sully added.

"I hope I'll get to meet her!" I stated.

"We'll be meeting up with her tomorrow, so make sure you get up early enough to see her," informed Nate.

We continued down the long tunnel while I scanned Nate's doodles. He had drawings of statues and symbols and little notes on the sketch. Looking through these pages created a spark of interest in this type of job. Solving puzzles and discovering artifacts hidden away for thousands of years would be a life I'd love to live.

We came upon another wall. This one featured a very small hole which led to a tunnel. I could barely see what was on the other side, but I had a feeling I'd be the one going in there. I started to grow anxious as I walked closer to the hole. I've managed these tiny spaces before but never had tons of crumbling rock above that could crush me instantly.

"So… any volunteers?" I joked nervously.

"Sorry Lillian, you're the only one who can fit through. From what I read in my research on this place, there should be a little switch somewhere in there, and you'll have to find it. Unfortunately I wasn't able to find exactly where it is, but I'm sure you'll be fine," Nate said.

"Great… well, I guess there's no use stalling," I said as I reluctantly crawled into the tiny space in the wall.

The tunnel was extremely claustrophobic, with barely enough space for me to move. The air was dense with dust, making it difficult to breathe. Flashlight in hand, I started forward. After crawling for what seemed like ages, I came to a fork in the path. I shone a light down both paths; they seemed identical. I tossed a rock down the left one, causing the ground to fall, revealing a pit of spikes below. There were several small bones in the pit; I was glad I wouldn't be joining them. Just to be safe, I tossed another rock down the right tunnel; nothing happened, so I deemed this one safe.

This maze of tunnels seemed to go on for miles, but it had actually only been a few feet. I had to repeat the rock test several times until I finally got to a switch at the end of the tunnels. Having no choice, I pulled it, causing a hidden tunnel to open up to my left, which featured a faint light at the end. Just as the new path was revealed, the tunnel behind me began crumbling. I crawled as fast as I could to escape being crushed beneath the mountain. Suddenly, my backpack got stuck on a sharp rock jutting out from the wall. I tried to take it off, but the tunnel was too small for me to get the strap around my arm. I pulled as hard as I could, causing the straps to break.

I began moving again, leaving behind my belongings. My hands and knees were burning from having to crawl so fast, but it's worth not being crushed to death. Just before the tumbling boulders reached me, I escaped the tunnel into a small room, rocks and dust following me as the path completely collapsed behind me.

Luckily, I was able to hold onto my flashlight while crawling. I shook it, bringing it back to life, revealing a small lever on the wall. I pulled it, causing the wall behind me to drop into the floor. Having no other way to go, I ventured down this new corridor, which led to another fork. Both led to a faint light, but I could hear loud footsteps running down the hall to my right.

I sprinted towards the footsteps, not slowing until I had reached their source. It was Nate.

Grabbing me in his arms, he started shouting, "Lily! Oh my God, are you okay?! I saw the tunnel collapse!"

I was taken aback by his sudden embrace. This genuine hug, something I hadn't ever encountered, made me feel… safe.

Is this what having a dad feels like? I pondered.

Warm tears poured down my cheeks, but I wasn't sad. It might've been from the shock of almost being crushed to death, but I think it's from happiness, a very foreign emotion.

"I'll be goddamned, kid! What the hell happened?!" shouted Sully, finally catching up with Nate. Although he tried hiding it, he looked worried.

Catching my breath and wiping the tears from my face, I recanted my terrifying experience. Nate had a look of deep concern on his face as I spoke, but it turned to one of relief as I finished.

"I'm glad you're alright, although it looks like you got pretty scraped up from that, huh? I'll get'cha cleaned up once we're done here," Nate said.

We continued down the hall I had came from, toward the distant light at the end.


	4. Disaster

We came upon a large crypt, the walls lined with holes containing dusty coffins. In the middle of the room were some stairs which led to a small landing. There laid a golden sarcophagus with a lit torch on either side. It was rectangular and rounded at the edges, with the sides covered in Olmecian carvings. Behind it, at the top of a small ramp, sat a small golden head trapped in a cage, which I assumed is what we came to find.

Nate and Sully walked up the stairs to the sarcophagus. Using their machetes, they pried off the top, which had been encrusted with dirt. Inside was a skeleton covered head to foot in several jewelry. Around its neck was a key which, unlike the rest of its attire, was plain and rusted. The smell of the rotting carcass nearly made me gag. Nate carefully removed the key and gave it to Sully, who went to the top of the ramp while Nate sketched the bones.

Sully inserted the key and turned it clockwise, causing the cage encasing the head to fly apart. He took a few steps back, surprised by the sudden event and ready for a trap. He waited a few seconds, but nothing happened. Grabbing the golden head, he turned to hand it to Nate. Suddenly, its bright sapphire eyes started shining. The room's coffins jettisoned from the walls, their owners smashing open the lids as they pounded to the ground. The cave started to shake; boulders rained down from the ceiling, smashing everything under them.

"Uhh… guys, we need to get out of here!" Nate shouted as he readied his rifle, pointing it at the reanimated cadavers.

Sully, who had also drawn his weapon, yelled to Nate "Jeez, zombies again?! We've gotta put some of these things down, there's no way we'll outrun all of them! Kid, you start running!"

"You don't have to tell me twice!" I shouted, heeding his instruction; there's no way I'm sticking around here! I sprinted down the hall, which had opened up to the entrance to the cave. I could hear gunfire behind me. I looked back and saw Nate and Sully running, firing their weapons at the zombies, causing several of them to crash to the ground, falling apart as they did. I could no longer see the tomb, which had been crushed by the mountain.

Upon reaching the edge of the cave, I could see another group of soldiers across the encampment who had started shooting at us.

"Ah, you've gotta be kidding!" roared Sully. "Nate, you take care of our friends in the cave, I'll get these guys! Lillian, go chop that rope with my machete!"

He unsheathed the blade and handed it to me, then continued shooting at the soldiers.

Stunned that he actually used my name, I took the large knife and chopped at the rope, which cut in a single slice - it must've been pretty old to be that weak.

We clamored into the boat. As the gunfight raged, I took the paddle and made the little boat go as fast as I could. As I looked back I could see the rest of the cave collapsing as the remainder of the zombies scampered out, quickly being shot down by the guards.

Out of their range now, I continued to paddle. Nate and Sully laid their weapons in the boat as they caught their breath.

"ZOMBIES?! Did you know there would be zombies?! And what do you mean AGAIN?!" I shouted as I rowed.

We found a statue named El Dorado. The dust inside turned everyone who inhaled it into the undead," Nate explained.

"So… this insanity is nothing new for either of you?"

"'Fraid not," Sully shrugged.

Nate began panicking, shouting, "Uh, guys, I hate to interrupt the conversation, but… WATERFALL!"

I handed the oar to Nate, who desperately tried to row in the opposite direction, but the current was too strong.

"Everyone hold on!" screamed Nate.

"You two are idiots!" I screamed back, holding to the boat for dear life.

I could feel the boat starting to tip, gaining downward speed.

"Ooohhh crap!" shouted Nate.

"You always say that!" scoffed Sully.

We were in freefall, the air rushing past. The water splashed my face, making it hard to see. It felt like we were falling for miles. Suddenly, we halted to a stop as a surge of water consumed the boat. I hit my head on the side, and everything went dark.

I woke up tied to a chair. I could hear the waves and smell saltwater. Upon opening my eyes, I saw we were at a large dock site, peppered with small buildings and boxes seeming to contain munitions. I couldn't hear the waterfall anymore, so I figured we had traveled a great distance; perhaps we were captured and driven here while knocked out. To my left I saw the end of a river, which I assumed came from the waterfall. I could see land on the other side of the water, meaning this is a lake, so we're still a fair distance inland. Sully and Nate were lined up on my right, tied to two other chairs, both still passed out. Nate had a small trail of blood coming down the left side of his face, and Sully's shirt was slightly tattered on the right. When I tried moving my legs, a sharp pain shot through my right knee. I looked down and saw a dark bruise covering my entire kneecap. I guess I should feel lucky I came out of falling over a waterfall with only a bruise.

I'd assumed the rest of the guards were sleeping, as I couldn't see anyone else around. Quietly struggling in my constraints, I was able to free one of my hands due to the knot not being tied very well. I gently shook Sully's shoulder, but he didn't budge. Determined to wake him up, I started yanking at his mustache.

"Ah, what the hell? Stop yanking at my mustache!" Sully yelled.

So much for being quiet, I thought.

"Sorry, Sully, I had to wake you up somehow!"

Nate must've heard the commotion, as I heard groaning coming from his direction.

"Wha… where are we?" Nate dazedly questioned.

Sully analyzed our surroundings.

"Looks like a dock belonging to the same idiots we were fighting back at the cave. I guess we passed out after going over that waterfall. Speaking of which… Kid, why the hell didn't you keep us from going over?!"

Before I could answer, Nate interjected. "Come on, Sully. You know as well as I do that the rapids were too strong for her to do anything," he explained.

"Yeah, yeah, I suppose you're right. Sorry I snapped at ya, Kid," Sully apologized.

Wow, a genuine apology. From Sully. Not something I thought I'd hear any time soon.

"Hey… how'd you get your hand free?" asked Nate.

"These guys must really suck at tying knots; I was able to just pull it right out!" I answered.

"Great! Okay, all you have to do is use your free hand to pull on the knot, looking for the loosest part of the rope, then pull on that," Nate instructed.

I followed his instructions and easily freed myself. Having dealt with knots in the past, I quickly freed Nate and Sully.

Suddenly, I saw a guard sleepily saunter out of a small shack by the water. He unzipped his pants and started peeing into the lake. The three of us froze, as there was nowhere to hide. A blonde, slim woman snuck out from some boxes behind the building and kicked him into the water. Glancing back and winking at us, she pulled a flare gun from her holster and fired it into the sky, then started running toward the exit on the right side of the dock.

I started to hear engines blaring from where she ran to. They began growing louder as I saw several men armed with rifles driving ATVs onto the dock. By that point, a large number of soldiers had emerged from the buildings and started shooting at the drivers who were coming straight toward us. The blonde woman had gotten on an ATV and was speeding through the others, directly at Nate.

The woman arrived with another ATV and a motorcycle with a sidecar.

"Hop on!" she called. Nate mounted the seat behind her and started shooting his pistol at the soldiers. As I was getting on the other ATV, I heard Sully growl at me.

"Come on, Kid, this is your seat," Sully said, motioning to the sidecar.

"Sully, just get in, we don't have time for this!" Nate called out.

A disgruntled look on his face, Sully got in the tiny sidecar and the three of us sped off. As we left the area, the rest of the ATVs followed us. Despite being battered and tired, somehow, we escaped.


	5. Elena

We drove for something akin to eternity. Nearly falling asleep, we slowed down to a stop and the engines silenced. I looked around and saw we arrived at a small motel. The man I was riding with motioned for me to get off. I dismounted the vehicle and he sped away. Now, it was just the three of us and this woman.

"So how'd you find us, Elena?" asked Nate.

So THIS is Elena! I knew she looked familiar! I thought.

"I put a tracker on your phone after we left that island a few months back. I thought it might be a good idea to make sure you didn't get into trouble. I noticed you had gone over a waterfall and stopped at a dock. I did a little research and found out our "friends" own it. I got in touch with one of my contacts down here who has access to some small armaments - his name is Randy. It was pretty easy finding you after that," Elena explained.

"I would be mad about you tracking my phone, buuut I guess it did save our lives, so… thanks," Nate said.

"So, who's this you've got with ya?" Elena queried.

"Elena, come on, you've met Sully before! I mean, I know he's not all that memorable, but come on!"

"No, smartass, I meant the kid," she said, motioning towards me.

"Oh, that's Lillian. Lily, if you prefer. We met over in the city when she tried to steal my wallet. She almost got away, but Sully caught her. I figured I should help her hone her skills a bit."

"I hadn't trusted her at first, but she's proving herself to be somewhat useful," Sully noted.

It was still weird hearing Sully say anything nice about me, but I do enjoy hearing Nate call me Lily.

"Well, Lily, it's a pleasure to meet you. My name's Elena, as I'm sure you've heard," smiled Elena, extending her hand for a handshake.

I shook her hand. "Likewise. I've actually read some of your articles; pretty interesting!"

"Oh, really? I'm glad you keep yourself educated!"

I can see why Nate loves this chick - she's pretty great.

"Come on, let's head inside. I'm sure you guys are beat after what you've been through," Elena said, motioning us to follow her inside.

After walking through the lobby and up a small flight of stairs, we arrived at the motel room door. Elena unlocked it and walked inside, with us following after. The room was a mess, the furniture covered in maps and news clippings. There were water stains on the ceiling and tears in the carpet. Not exactly what I'd call luxury, but I was glad to be inside.

"I've been doing a little research myself. Randy happens to know quite a lot about what goes on around here, so he got me some leads on where Andromeda might be - that's the army we've been fighting against. Their leader is Leonardo Correa. He's had a hold here for a long time, and he's been building an army to try and find the Head of Kutu, just like we are, except he wants to use it for world domination."

"We were able to get the head out of a cave near the top of the waterfall we went over, but Andromeda probably has it now, and I'd imagine they're taking it to their boss. Where's their headquarters?" asked Nate.

"It's just outside the town of Chicoasén, which is about an hour's drive from here. We should leave as soon as possible if we want to beat them there," Elena responded.

"Elena, I've seen the power that thing possesses. We're all exhausted, and we need to prepare for a fight. Let's rest here for the night and we can head out first thing in the morning," Nate explained.

"... fine, but if this goes bad, don't say I didn't warn you," sassed Elena.

"If you guys don't mind, I'm gonna go smoke a cigar. I haven't had one of these in hours, and I'm startin' to crave one," said Sully as he left the room.

None of us showered that night due to the broken faucet, so the most we could do was wash off the dirt and blood using sink water, which didn't smell all that great, although it was better than nothing.

I helped Elena clear off the furniture for us to rest. While moving some papers I noticed a picture. It was one of a woman and her baby. The woman was wearing a necklace identical to mine, and the child was playing with it.

"... Elena, who is this?"

"That's the wife of Leonardo's boss. I haven't been able to find out anything about him - he's the most secretive person I've ever encountered. She was murdered a few years ago. I'm pretty sure she's the reason why he's trying to get the Head."

"She's wearing the same necklace as me, and we look nearly identical. Elena, I've never met my mom… you don't think this could be her, do you?"

"Wow, you two do look alike, and this picture is the only place I've seen this necklace before. You said your name is Lily, right?" Elena asked.

"Yeah, that's right," I answered.

"Well, it says here on the back of the photo 'Lillian and Mary.' Lily… I think this really is your mother."

My face went blank.

"… are you okay?" Elena questioned concernedly.

My hands suddenly got weak, causing the other papers to slip from my hands.

"I… I need to sit down," I responded. I fell onto the couch, the room spinning around me. The woman I had spent so long searching for… dead. Hot tears ran down my cheeks, dripping on the polaroid picture I held in my hand.

Elena placed her hand on my knee.

"I'm sure she loved you very much, Lily."

"Then why did she abandon me at that orphanage?!" I blurted.

Before Elena could respond, "Lily, are you okay?" Nate asked, who had been in the bathroom washing the blood off his face.

He quickly walked over to me and placed his hand on my shoulder. "What's wrong?"

I showed him the picture.

"This is my mom, Nate. She's dead. I've been searching for her all these years, and it's been for nothing!"

"Oh, crap… I'm sorry you had to find out like this Lily. At least one good thing came out of your search, though. It brought you to us."

I broke down and sobbed, Elena and Nate enveloping me in a hug.

I heard Sully come into the room.

"What the hell?" he swore.

Elena shot him a sharp glance. He looked down and noticed me crying. He walked behind the couch and patted my back a few times.

I didn't sleep well that night; the image was burned into my mind. I couldn't get over the fact that my mother was gone, and nothing is going to bring her back. I avowed to find her murderer and make them pay.


	6. Retaliation

I awoke to find Nate, Sully, and Elena hurriedly packing the room up.

"What's going on?" I sleepily asked.

Still working, Elena looked up and explained, "We need to get going as soon as possible. We just got word Andromeda is packing up down by the dock and will be heading east. We're meeting a contact of mine at a warehouse down the road. His name is Lucas Ros; he's the leader of the army we're working with. He'll be filling us in when we get there. There's some breakfast on the table, so eat up and help us pack."

I sat down at the small kitchen table. On my plate was a blueberry muffin, served with a glass of orange juice. Still not used to real food, I scarfed it down in the blink of an eye.

Having finished my breakfast, I began piling research papers into their assigned boxes and carrying them out to the truck Elena had sitting outside.

When we finally finished, Nate, Sully, and myself piled into the truck and followed Elena on her ATV to the warehouse, which was a large building with yellow side panels lining the outside. Several windows were broken or boarded up. We walked through the double doors into the structure, revealing a busy army operation, with soldiers running everywhere, shuffling vehicles and arming themselves for the coming fight.

A stout, plump man with closely-shaven hair and rough caramel skin approached us. He was donned in arid military clothing with his camouflage sleeves rolled up as the shorts tightly hugged his legs. Although he had to slightly look up, his stance made him look taller than what reality would have you believe.

"Mr. Drake, Elena, it's good to see you!" he exclaimed, shaking Nate and Elena's hands.

"Nate, Lily, Sully, this is Lucas Ros. He's the client we've been working with to get The Head," Elena introduced.

"Yes, Elena has taught me quite a bit about you, Mr. Sullivan. Your reputation precedes you. However… I don't believe I was informed a child would be joining us," he said.

"Lily is more than capable of handling herself under pressure. She'll do fine," Nate informed.

"… if you say so, Mr. Drake-"

"Please, call me Nate."

Lucas shot an annoyed glance at Elena, who simply smiled and shrugged. He turned back toward us and started explaining the mission.

"By this time, they should be finished packing their supplies for the trip to Chicoasén. We'll be leaving in a half hour; we'll be cutting them off just before they arrive so we can obtain the Head and their supplies. After that, we'll take the fight directly to their headquarters to finish this once and for all. Now, Nate and Sully, I need your help loading these weapons into our trucks. Follow me, please."

The three of them walked off to start working, leaving me alone with Elena.

"So you and Nate met while doing something pretty similar to this, huh?" I asked Elena.

"Yep, while searching for El Dorado. Nate can get pretty focused on his work, but he's a good guy. Don't forget, you don't have to do everything he says, alright? We need to keep him in line," Elena said, smiling.

"Of course! Besides, this is keeping me out of trouble, right?" I replied. "Now, what's that you said about El Dorado?"

While waiting for the mission's preparation to be ready, Elena told me of her wild adventure of searching for the fabled El Dorado with Nate and Sully, where they fought pirates and zombies.

Once the preparations were finished, Nate, Sully, Elena, and myself filed into Humvees and Jeeps with the rest of our forces and departed for Chicoasén where we would intercept our enemies. The trip took several long, boring hours. I read through Nate's entire notebook, finishing before we were even halfway there. Outside the windows was barren plains with trees in the distance; certainly nothing too exciting.

"Hey, Kid. I talked it over with Nate, and he agrees; since we're on our way to fight an army, you should know how to use a gun," Sully said, handing me a pistol.

"First off, never point a weapon at anything you don't intend on shooting at. Also, make sure to keep your finger parallel to the trigger until you're ready to fire. Guns aren't toys, and I'd hate for you to hit anyone you don't intend on killing. This switch on the side is the safety. Since we're in a car, we're gonna leave that on. Now, when you go to shoot someone, square your shoulders, lean into the shot, exhale, and pull the trigger. This pistol is yours now; it's pretty small, so it'll get the job done without having too much kick."

I never expected Sully to trust me with a weapon, let alone teach me how to use one. I suppose he's finally opening up to me a little.

We eventually started going through the small town of Chicoasén. It looked very similar to Copainalá, lined with small shacks and stores. Riding through the main street of the city, I could see another caravan up ahead, which looked to belong to Andromeda, although we weren't closing any distance on them.

"We're not going any faster?" I asked.

"We're following them to their base so we can put a stop to them once and for all, and we don't want to get any civilians involved," Nate explained.

We followed them to the edge of the city where we saw them pull up next to a large concrete building. We cut down a block just before the building to avoid any suspicion. Everyone started pouring out of the vehicles, readying their gear for the fight.

"Alright, Lily, I want you to stay behind us and watch our backs. Shoot only if it's absolutely necessary," Nate ordered.

I nodded in agreement. I brandished my pistol, keeping it pointed at the ground like I'd seen Nate and Sully do. We marched down a thin alleyway between buildings, sticking to the shadows to avoid being seen. Lucas, who had researched the building beforehand, led us to the side of the building where an unguarded entrance was waiting for us. The front line of soldiers charged in, guns at the ready.

We followed them into the building, which led us to a long, poorly-lit hall. Lucas motioned for us to follow him as he started walking down the corridor, eventually stopping at a door labeled E-6.

"The Head is just behind this door. Nate, because you're the one who found it, I'd like you to do the honors," Lucas beckoned.

"Uh… sure, I guess," Nate said, unsure of why Lucas didn't just go in himself.

Armed with a silenced pistol, Nate shot the door's lock and kicked it open. Gun raised, he slowly walked inside with Lucas and I following close behind.

"The soldiers will have to stay outside to make sure no one gets in. Not to mention, this is a pretty small room," said Lucas.

"Fine, but Lily stays with me," commanded Nate.

Inside was a short hallway leading to a small room containing a control console. To the left of the console was a door leading to another part of the building. Upon the console sat The Head, encased in a small cage that had wires connected to it. Two soldiers were standing on either side of the console. Nate shot them down before they had noticed him entering. Having taken care of the threat, Nate walked up to The Head and started analyzing it.

"I've seen this kind of tech before. It's surprisingly simple; you just unplug the cables and the cage should open," explained Lucas.

"Well, I've never been one to decline the easy route," Nate said as he unplugged the wires.

Just as Lucas said, the cage popped open. Smiling, Nate grabbed the head.

"Finally, we can be done with this. Let's get outta her-"

Nate's sentence was cut short by the click of Lucas' gun being readied.

"Wow, Nate… I can't believe how easy it was to get you in here!" Lucas scoffed as he hit a button on his walkie-talkie. A metal door slammed down from the ceiling behind him, cutting us off from everyone else, including Sully and Elena.

"Now, give me The Head," Lucas commanded as he walked toward the console. Nate, who had his hands up, reluctantly handed the relic over. The door to the left of the console opened. A tall, handsome man walked in, followed by two soldiers. He had short, dark hair and a scar covering most of the left side of his face. He was wearing a white button-down T-shirt along with a brown leather belt and a pair of cream-colored cargo pants, which were slightly rolled up on the ends. A long machete was sheathed on his left hip, while a pistol was holstered in his right. In the left breast pocket donned on his shirt was tucked a pen and small notepad. A deep, unknown fear pierced me as he walked in.

"So, who the hell are you?" Nate inquired to the tall man.

"My name is John Owens, Lucas'... employer, I suppose you could say. You see, Mr. Drake, I have plans for this artifact you could never comprehend. I will conquer the world with its power!"  
A mad smile on his face, John thrust The Head into the air and started chanting in a language I'd never heard before.

The Head's sapphire eyes started glowing. The air in the room started to blow around as if we were standing in a hurricane. Golden sand started pouring from its gaping mouth, which formed into humanoid monsters. As more creatures formed, Sully and Elena had managed to force the door open. The door slamming back down behind them, they barged in the room, guns blazing. One of the shots hit Lucas in the head, who fell to the ground like a rock. However, the guns didn't seem to have any effect on the sand monsters, who continued to slowly saunter toward us.

"Keep shooting, they've gotta go down sometime!" ordered Sully.

I brandished my weapon and started shooting at the creatures, causing glittering sand to spew from them, which crept back into their bodies.

"We've gotta stop John, otherwise there won't be an end to these things!" yelled Nate. We started shooting at John, who didn't budge. Still chanting, golden sand started to gush from his body where the bullets entered. Suddenly, Nate rushed at John, but despite hitting him with all his weight, John didn't budge.

"Shoot the Head!" commanded Nate, who was barely holding his own against John.

Aiming my gun at the artifact, I fired a few rounds, but they bounced off. John looked down at me smirking, but his smile was shattered when he saw my necklace.

"Lil… Lillian?" he uttered.

For a moment, I stood there in shock. How does this man know my name?

The eyes on The Head stopped glowing. I took my chance and fired. It shattered into the very same dust that had been pouring from John, which quickly stopped. Letting out a disturbing screech, he began assaulting Nate. He tackled Nate to the ground and pressed his pistol against his forehead.

"How dare you! My plan would have worked perfectly if you hadn't come along and ruined it! I would've had my Mary back! The world would have been mine!"

"Get off of him," I commanded, pointing my weapon at him, "… and how do you know my name?!"

"That necklace you're wearing, that used to belong to your mother. Lillian… I'm your father," John replied. By now, blood had replaced the sand which had been flowing from his wounds.

I could feel my hands trembling as warm tears streamed down my face.

"Then why'd you abandon me at an orphanage; where have you been all this time?!" I asked.

"I've been trying to exact revenge on the people who took your mother's life! People like Nate, who have taken everything from me!" he seethed through gritted, bloody teeth.

Muttering the same incantation from before, he pressed the gun against Nate's forehead and prepared to pull the trigger. The gems from the Head dimly lit for a moment and sand started pouring from John once more.

"This is the end for you, Nathan Drake!"

Without a thought, I pulled the trigger, firing a bullet straight through the side of John's head. Sand and blood started pouring from the bullet wound. Quivering, he looked over at me, tears of golden sand streaming from his eyes.

"Lil… lian…" he uttered breathlessly. The Head's eyes stopped glowing. With his final word, John collapsed off Nate, his body slowly turning to sand. His lifeless eyes kept their gaze on me as he dissolved into nothingness.

A wave of sorrow washed over me, drowning the colors from the world. All light seemed to dim as I collapsed to my knees, sobbing.

My new family covered me in their arms as I cried for what seemed like an eternity. I don't remember most of the rest of that day. Emotionless, I felt like I had turned into one of John's zombies, like I lost something I never knew I had.


	7. Home

We made our way back to the hotel room. I dazedly sat down on the couch, watching everyone pack but not paying attention to anything in particular. Time seemed to flash by, as everything was suddenly packed.

"Hey Lil, would you mind helping us load the truck?" asked Nate.

"Sure," I responded.

I grabbed a couple boxes and loaded them onto the back of the truck. As everyone else got in, I plopped onto the back seat of the truck and buckled my seatbelt. It was tough leaving that hotel room. For the past week, it had been home, the first one I knew since the orphanage; leaving was hard.

A single tear running down my cheek, I laid my head back and closed my eyes, exhausted from the day's events. I awoke to the lurch of the truck stopping. Everyone got out and started unloading the truck. I kept my eyes mostly closed so no one would think I was awake yet. I let my head fall to the side so I could see what was around. I saw a white boat with a wooden interior, decorated with little knick-knacks from all around the world. I could smell saltwater in the air, something I've only experienced a handful of times. Figuring it was time to get up, I got out of the truck, grabbed a box, and walked it over to the boat.

"Hey, look who's up! Sleep well?" Elena asked.

"Yeah, pretty well," I said, despite the sleep being quite restless, free of any kind of dreams.

I got onto the boat and sat the box down. I headed into the cabin where Sully was preparing the boat for departure.

"Is this your boat, Sully?" I questioned.

"Sure is! Name's Sullivan's Travels, named her myself!"

"It's really nice! I like the wood design."

"Thanks, this thing cost me quite a pretty penny. Would've cost me a few more pennies had I not 'convinced' the seller to lower the price. Nice gal, though."

Sully turned back to the console to finish his preparations. Nate and Elena loaded the rest of the cargo on board.

"You ready to shove off, Lil?" Nate asked, smiling.

"Sure, but where are we headed to?"

"Back to the US. I've got an apartment in Key West. There's a spare room you can stay in… if you still want to come with us, of course."

For a moment, my depression lifted, replaced by a glimmer of excitement.

"Of course I'm coming with you!" I said, smiling.

"Glad to see everything's wrapping up nicely here. I'm gonna go take the truck back; I've got a plane to catch in an hour. I'll see you guys back in the States!" announced Elena. Her and Nate hugged, causing Nate's cheeks to turn red. She got in the truck, waved, and drove away.

"Well Sully, are we ready to go?" Nate asked.

"Just got 'er ready. Lillian, can you go take the anchor rope off of the dock?" Sully responded, pointing at the rope keeping the ship tied to land.

I unraveled the rope off the post.

"Alright, here we go!" Sully whooped, pushing the accelerator forward. The boat took off into the shimmering blue sea. As I watched the shore disappear in the distance and the salty wind blow through my hair, I was free.

I walked to the front of the boat and sat down. Looking out, I saw nothing but water. Never having been on a boat before, sitting there was magical. For once, I felt at peace.

Nate came and sat down next to me.

"How're ya doin', Lil?" he asked.

"Pretty good. This boat is really nice, I've never been on one before," I responded.

"Yeah, Sully had to jump through quite a few hoops to be able to afford it," he chuckled.

We sat there for a few minutes, taking in the blue horizon. A question entered my mind.  
"Hey, Nate… how do you guys cope with killing people?"

His face turned stoic.

"I do what I have to… you get used to it over time."

"I can't get his face out of my head," I responded. "I could barely sleep last night; every time I closed my eyes, I saw him lying there dying."

"I went through something similar the first time I killed someone, too. It'll pass, I promise," he said, standing up and patting my back. "You'll be fine, you're tough," he encouraged before exiting to the ship's cabin.

The boat ride took about five days. It was boring yet comfortable, as the boat had plenty of food, and the lower cabin was well furnished and had air conditioning, something I rarely experienced.

The trip concluded with us pulling up to a dock lined with other boats. Nate anchored the boat to the dock once Sully had backed it in.

"So Sully, what're you gonna do now that we're back?" Nate asked.

"I'm gonna find the nearest bar and relax. I feel like I've been on my feet for a week!" Sully said, smirking.

We departed the boat and walked a few blocks to an apartment complex that stood before the water. We took the elevator to the top floor where Nate's apartment was. Arriving at door 413, Nate unlocked the door and led us in. The apartment was spacious with several windows lining the walls, offering a view of the ocean. A couch sat in the middle of the room, facing a flat screen TV. I saw two other spacious rooms, along with a sizable bathroom. There were bits of trash around the room; I figured Nate never really had neither the time nor a reason to clean up, seeing as he lived by himself and traveled all the time. The kitchen, while well-stocked with non-perishables and cooking tools, was a mess, with dishes filling the sink.

"Well, here we are. What do ya think?" said Nate, motioning to the room around us.

"This is probably the nicest place I've ever been in. How in the world did you afford this?"

"When we went searching for El Dorado, we certainly didn't leave empty-handed," Nate smirked.

"When I left, I hadn't planned on someone coming back to live with me, so I hadn't cleaned up, and there isn't a bedroom set up yet, so unfortunately you'll have to sleep on the couch until we get you a proper place to sleep."

"It's perfect," I said, having already laid down on the couch.

"Well, I think you two have things under control here. I'm gonna head down to the boat and start unloading everything. I'll see you two later. Oh, and Lily… it's nice to have ya with us," said Sully, smiling as he exited the room.

As I laid there, the air conditioning drifted over me. Still exhausted from our time in Mexico, I closed my eyes to get some rest. I was finally home.

yes to get some rest. I finally felt safe. I finally felt at home.


End file.
